Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KATHMANDU145
2008-02-01 12:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL: MFA CONFIRMS NO CHANGE IN POLICY ON TIBETAN
how-toVZCZCXRO7185 OO RUEHCI DE RUEHKT #0145 0321214 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 011214Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7940 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6292 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 6620 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1883 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 4645 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5874 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2199 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4008 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1980 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3083 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000145
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PRM, SCA/INS, DRL AND G; GENEVA FOR RMA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL CH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MFA CONFIRMS NO CHANGE IN POLICY ON TIBETAN
REFUGEES
REF: KATHMANDU 123
Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000145
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PRM, SCA/INS, DRL AND G; GENEVA FOR RMA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL CH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MFA CONFIRMS NO CHANGE IN POLICY ON TIBETAN
REFUGEES
REF: KATHMANDU 123
Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The Under Secretary for UN Affairs at the Foreign
Ministry confirmed to the Political/Economic Chief February 1
that the Government of Nepal has not changed its policy on
Tibetan refugees. The reported threat in mid-January by
Nepali officials of refoulement to China for 19 refugees
(reftel) was a local act. UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) Assistant Protection Officer Amit Sen told the Acting
Refugee Coordinator February 1 that his office had raised the
case with the Home Ministry's Immigration Department. Given
the potential of Nepali retaliation, however, UNHCR intended
to wait until the group of refugees reached India before
raising the matter at a higher level.
Gentleman's Agreement on Tibetans Still Stands
-------------- -
2. (C) On February 1, in response to an expression of concern
that Nepali police had arrested 19 Tibetan refugees near
Namche (near Mt. Everest) in mid-January and threatened them
with refoulement (reftel),Rudra Nepal, the Under Secretary
for UN Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, insisted to the
Political/Economic Chief that Nepal's policy remained
unchanged. The Government of Nepal (GON) stood by its
gentleman's agreement to allow Tibetan refugees to transit
Nepal on their way to India. The reported threat against the
19 had been a local act, he said. He admitted, however,
that the GON was under considerable pressure from its
powerful neighbor, the People's Republic of China (PRC),on
the Tibetan issue.
UNHCR Taking A Low-Key Approach ... For Now
--------------
3. (SBU) UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Assistant
Protection Officer Amit Sen informed the Acting Refugee
Coordinator February 1 that UNHCR staff had discussed the
Tibetan case with the head of the National Unit for
Coordination of Refugee Affairs, Mod Raj Dotel, several times
and were meeting later the same day with the head of the Home
Ministry's Immigration Department. Sen added, however, that
UNHCR did not plan to file a formal complaint at a higher
level about the near refoulement until the group had left
Nepal for India. The concern was that the GON might
retaliate by hindering the group's departure or by holding up
all Tibetan refugee departures (as had happened once before).
Sen explained that Dotel had given varied and conflicting
answers when challenged about the incident. Instead of
acknowledging the mistake, he seemed to be more interested in
justifying the police action, even alleging at one point that
the group had returned to the PRC, so there was nothing the
GON could do.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The Nepali Government's reaction to this recent case
of near refoulement is troubling, particularly the responses
of the Home Ministry office responsible for refugee affairs.
Post will urge the UNHCR to continue to follow up and to
raise the issue with GON officials. China is no doubt
putting pressure on the GON to keep Tibetan refugee arrivals
in Nepal down, but it too would seem to have little to gain
from a public relations disaster on the Nepali-Tibetan border
as the Beijing Olympics approach.
POWELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR PRM, SCA/INS, DRL AND G; GENEVA FOR RMA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL CH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MFA CONFIRMS NO CHANGE IN POLICY ON TIBETAN
REFUGEES
REF: KATHMANDU 123
Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The Under Secretary for UN Affairs at the Foreign
Ministry confirmed to the Political/Economic Chief February 1
that the Government of Nepal has not changed its policy on
Tibetan refugees. The reported threat in mid-January by
Nepali officials of refoulement to China for 19 refugees
(reftel) was a local act. UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) Assistant Protection Officer Amit Sen told the Acting
Refugee Coordinator February 1 that his office had raised the
case with the Home Ministry's Immigration Department. Given
the potential of Nepali retaliation, however, UNHCR intended
to wait until the group of refugees reached India before
raising the matter at a higher level.
Gentleman's Agreement on Tibetans Still Stands
-------------- -
2. (C) On February 1, in response to an expression of concern
that Nepali police had arrested 19 Tibetan refugees near
Namche (near Mt. Everest) in mid-January and threatened them
with refoulement (reftel),Rudra Nepal, the Under Secretary
for UN Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, insisted to the
Political/Economic Chief that Nepal's policy remained
unchanged. The Government of Nepal (GON) stood by its
gentleman's agreement to allow Tibetan refugees to transit
Nepal on their way to India. The reported threat against the
19 had been a local act, he said. He admitted, however,
that the GON was under considerable pressure from its
powerful neighbor, the People's Republic of China (PRC),on
the Tibetan issue.
UNHCR Taking A Low-Key Approach ... For Now
--------------
3. (SBU) UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Assistant
Protection Officer Amit Sen informed the Acting Refugee
Coordinator February 1 that UNHCR staff had discussed the
Tibetan case with the head of the National Unit for
Coordination of Refugee Affairs, Mod Raj Dotel, several times
and were meeting later the same day with the head of the Home
Ministry's Immigration Department. Sen added, however, that
UNHCR did not plan to file a formal complaint at a higher
level about the near refoulement until the group had left
Nepal for India. The concern was that the GON might
retaliate by hindering the group's departure or by holding up
all Tibetan refugee departures (as had happened once before).
Sen explained that Dotel had given varied and conflicting
answers when challenged about the incident. Instead of
acknowledging the mistake, he seemed to be more interested in
justifying the police action, even alleging at one point that
the group had returned to the PRC, so there was nothing the
GON could do.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The Nepali Government's reaction to this recent case
of near refoulement is troubling, particularly the responses
of the Home Ministry office responsible for refugee affairs.
Post will urge the UNHCR to continue to follow up and to
raise the issue with GON officials. China is no doubt
putting pressure on the GON to keep Tibetan refugee arrivals
in Nepal down, but it too would seem to have little to gain
from a public relations disaster on the Nepali-Tibetan border
as the Beijing Olympics approach.
POWELL